Do I need to read anything prior to starting Hickman’s run?

[powerpax]

Most of the stuff that happened after Grant Morrison barely mattered anyway

^ fixed for you

[Godlike13]

I'd recommend you google Krakoa, beyond that you should be good.

[PrezValentine]

^ fixed for you

For better or worse, yep.

Scott's arc: discarded.
Magneto's arc from Claremont to Bunn: literally doesn't matter.
Emma: might as well be on the same place Morrison left her, except for being with Scott.
Logan: died and came back ready for more chronology tomfoolery
Jean: basically just came back.
Storm: barely had an arc on the X-Books last decade.
Charles: funny helmet and younger body aside, I doubt any of the developments with him will be carried over.

Most of the things carrying into this era are about characters that were introduced after Morrison (like Vulcan, who will be in X-Men and Hope who was mentioned in House of X), specific status quo (Captain Britain/Psylocke, teen Cable, Iceman being gay, Quire being one of the good guys) or aesthetic (Karma's leg, possibly Scott's eye, Beast not being a cat anymore).

It's really friendly for new readers, the more I think about it.

[powerpax]

For better or worse, yep.

Scott's arc: discarded.

I don't think so - he seems as confident and in command as he as has since at least Whedon's Astonishing or Gillen for me. That veiled comment to the FF about Franklin was boss. But I do think all that evolution in the 2000s and 2010s began with where Morrison left him at the end of his run.

Magneto's arc from Claremont to Bunn: literally doesn't matter.

Again, I think where he roughly is now really only began with the Utopia era, not Morrison. But very much else beyond specific individual character stuff, no, it doesn't matter.

[GrandEleven]

I’m going to try reading Hickman’s run but wanted to know if I’ve missed anything major in that time that plays into Hickman’s stuff?

Honestly, I've not read X-men in decades. I picked up his new books and immediately felt like I must have missed an entire event or two. Rest assured said event(s) doesn't exist and you'll be just as lost and speculative as the rest of us as we wait for Hickman to fill in the gaps.

[9th.]

Status quo for the Academy X gang:
Wind Dancer: Depowered, last seen in New Warriors.
Wallflower: Murdered by William Stryker in Kyle and Yost's New X-Men.
Elixir: Turncoat. Last seen with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the last issue of X-Men Blue.
Icarus: Also killed in Kyle and Yost NXM.
Surge: Out of focus for some time after New X-Men ended. Presumed to still be a student at the school until Age of X-Man.
Prodigy: Was a Young Avenger. Listed on the Champions' Reinforcement Roster but never actually appeared there.
Hellion: Was shown to be working in a hospital in Uncanny Avengers.
Dust: Currently a member of the Champions.
Mercury: Same as Surge.
Wither: Turncoat. Started working for Selene. Killed by Elixir.
Tag: Depowered then killed in bus explosion at the beginning of Kyle and Yost New X-Men.
Rockslide: Usually shows up in the school based books, often with Anole.

Mercury was last seen in Gen X

[Havok83]

Mercury was last seen in Gen X

She was last seen in Age of X-man

[The Man With The Stick]

Elixir: Turncoat. Last seen with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the last issue of X-Men Blue.

He made some appearances since then in the last Uncanny run as one of Emma's recruits for the Hellfire Club.

[powerpax]

I believe HoX #1's infographic says Elixir is now re-affiliated with the X-Men and Krakoa (like most mutants).

[9th.]

She was last seen in Age of X-man

Did she do anything or was she just wallpaper?

[Havok83]

Did she do anything or was she just wallpaper?

More cameo. She had a few speaking lines and panels in Amazing Nightcrawler but she doesnt play an important role

[RD155]

Lol
Honestly you might be better off knowing absolutely nothing about the X-men other then a few basic things and just going into
It fresh and clear of mine.

[Tycon]

Glad to hear. I hope that materializes. But I feel like there have been many teases for more Academy X that never panned out.

Definitely been burned before. But this is supposed to be the era that “changes everything” so hopefully that means they stop using the kids for just marketing purposes to get us invested then not actually doing anything with them.

Did she do anything or was she just wallpaper?

She had a minor role as a club bouncer in Amazing Nightcrawler.